An Underwater Plead
by 1337Link
Summary: "Like I said, just an old legend and such."  Neopets/Maraqua Mafia fanfiction: for my beloved WAMies
1. Night 1

Dear readers,

WAMies: Go right ahead and read. :3

Anybody else: This is a (very) random story involving Neopets, the Altador Cup, and really crazy WAMies. So warning: YOU WILL NOT UNDERSTAND AT ALL. XD

…enjoy!

* * *

"Ha, what do you know? A Maractite Usul," Grant said.

Link looked down to see the navy blue pet and its various Maractite stripes. "They're kind of ugly if you ask me…" he said.

The Usul looked up at the two Maraquans, shooting them a dirty look before stomping off. Grant and Link went silent.

"The Shoyrus will look better," Grant coughed.

"They sure will, but you'll have to wait for after the Grundos," Link replied instantly.

Their pointless bickering about the two species continued as the two Maraquans continued swimming towards the gates of New Maraqua. Niku was going to take her usual visit today, and Grant and Link went to greet her. It wasn't that long of a swim, but the two had to have gotten sidetracked at least six times now.

"And they'll have Maractite swords for antenna I tell you!" Link exclaimed.

Grant said nothing in reply.

"Grant?" Link turned to look at the merman. Grant was staring up at the surface. Link raised an eyebrow, but followed Grant's gaze.

"A pirate ship?" Link questioned.

"Sure is… but Jess, Neon, and Tara are already here," Grant stated.

"Yeah that's weird; there's usually only ships here during the Cup Season…"

"Hm, they're not even headed our direction. We should probably go find Niku anyway."

Link looked back at the ship. "You go ahead."

"What?"

"Go ahead. If there's a pirate ship, there's treasure, right?"

Grant sighed. "You're crazy."

"No kidding," Link grinned and swam towards the surface.

"King Kelpbeard would disapprove, Link!" Grant joked and then continued toward the gates.

"Oh come on, Niku is surface folk, too." Link said to himself. He reached the surface and spotted the watchboy. _Aaaand he's sleeping. Figures._ Link amusedly thought to himself. Link then swam up to the ship and changed back to human form. He didn't like to be human often, but a fish kind of lacked the means to climb.

"Cap'n! Are you certain there'll be treasure?" Link heard a hoarse voice choke.

"No, I'm not," a feminine voice replied.

"What? Then why in the name of Scarblade are we going out to sea?"

"You got anything better to do?"

"Well I…"

"Gambling? Picking fights with any yellow-belly that crosses yer path? Tons to do, hm?"

"Sorry, Cap'n."

"You sure are."

Link snickered and listened to the foot and peg leg walk awkwardly away from the angered pirate captain. He then hoisted himself onto the ship.

"It's kind of nice to be back on the seas anyway…" the captain muttered.

Link took a few steps closer.

"You're not very sneaky, Link."

Link laughed. "Psh, I let you notice me this time, Scrac. And besides, legs aren't really my thing."

"Naturally…" Scrac laughed, turning to him.

"Where's this treasure?" Link asked.

"Geez, no 'hey long time no see Scrac?'?" Scrac joked.

"Hey, long time no see Scrac!" Link exclaimed with a grin.

Scrac rolled her eyes and laughed. "Supposedly it's in the Bubbling Pit."

"The Bubbling Pit? You're kidding, right?" Link questioned the captain. "You can't go down there, it's a death trap."

"Figures. Meh, at least it gives me an excuse to get out here." Scrac replied. "But why is there a 'death trap' in Maraqua?"

Link shrugged. He looked at the stars reflected in the oceans waves, and then back at Scrac's perplexed face. "There's an old legend when the Maraquan mafia struck, suspected fish would be thrown into that Pit…"

"Mafia…?"

"Like I said, just an old legend and such."

Scrac nodded before following Link's lead in staring at the ocean's sparkling waves. The moon made the water shine brilliant silver; the color always made Scrac smile. It was then that the water spilled out a vibrant crimson. Scrac shook her head and fell backwards. Link panicked.

"Is that…blood?" Scrac shouted.

But Link took no time to think and dove into the scarlet-tainted waters, quickly changing forms. Scrac snatched her water gear and dove in after him. What had just happened down there?


	2. The Goddess

Grant dashed towards the new ripples at the surface, breathing heavily and trembling with every swish of his fin. _Dead… Completely dead…That blood… it's fresh._ Then scales met his face as Grant headbutted straight into Link. Scrac skidded to a halt before the collision.

"Grant! What happened down there?" Link exclaimed, out of breath as well.

Grant shook his head and darted back down. Link and Scrac followed without hesitation. The blood was beginning to dissolve back into the water, making the sea a murky pink. Scrac ignored the scenery as much as she could, holding back the lump in her throat and questioning why she was going _toward_ the source of this blood.

But there it was.

A corpse of what was supposed to be…Niku.

She was torn, straight from the nape of her neck to the torso. Skin was violently pushed aside letting her blood flow out into the salty waters. And allowing the salty waters to pour into the wounds…

Scrac turned away from the horrid image immediately, feeling like she was going to be sick. Link felt the same way, but shook it off and bit his lip.

"Who…-"

But Grant cut him off by handing him a scrap of paper. It was small, and it was blood stained.

_The Mafia takes one more._

Link just stared, paralyzed. Confusion, fear, and panic all hit him at once as he read those five words. Scrac took hold of the paper.

"The…Mafia? You said…that was an old legend," she stuttered.

Grant looked up, suspicion and worry lingering within his eyes. "How does she know of the legend?"

"I-I told her… and then this… I…" Link sank down as tremors shot down his spine. Grant sighed.

"We…we need to bring her back to WAM…" he choked.

Scrac looked at Niku's body and took a few steps back, glimpsing at Link. Link looked over at Grant, who was back to staring at the sand. Link swam over to the corpse and lifted up Niku's inanimate body.

"Let's hurry…" he managed to say.

* * *

The three should have figured that others had noticed the blood. But they hadn't really thought much of it. Scrac was too busy holding back her serious need to vomit. Grant and Link couldn't stop thinking of their failure to reach Niku before this.

A large crowd of fish swarmed and shouted in horror, but Franc was the first one to confront them.

"Great Kelpbeard… is that Niku?" he asked, frightened by the sight.

Link nodded weakly, fins growing heavy. Franc looked at the crowd of horrified fish, and then turned to take Niku from Link. "Come with me," he said, signaling to the three witnesses.

"Mafia… this can't be…" Franc mumbled.

Grant, Scrac, and Link were yet to speak. Franc sighed.

"Sadly, I have every right to suspect the three of you of this murder."

Link shot up. "What? You honestly think we'd-"

Grant pulled Link back down. "Link. He's right," he stated.

"Relax, I didn't say I think you three did this," Franc replied. "I'm only saying that you are in highest suspicion…"

Scrac shivered. "Franc, sir. My ship is still up there and-"

"I understand. But please forgive me when I say that you cannot leave here."

"W-what?"

"I'm sorry, but you are a suspect, as is anyone else. I can't allow anyone to leave." Franc explained softly. "Link, Grant, please shut off the borders."

The two boys nodded and swam out leaving Scrac and Franc alone.

"I'm sorry you are dragged into this," Franc said, signaling Scrac to the door.

* * *

"Can't leave?" Neon shouted. "Someone _died_ here! We don't even belong here! Let us go!"

"I can't do that," Dan said. "I'm under strict orders from Franc…"

"Dan, I'm not allowing me or Tara to be in danger! Just let us pass!" Neon demanded, hand still tightly around Tara's.

"Neon, I can't! I'm sorry!"

"What, you think I'd murder Niku? Are you crazy?"

"Neon…" Tara said. "Relax, everyone is on edge; you can't let this get to you. You're innocent and that's all that matters, right?"

"Except when the mafia will be after you next…"

Tara released Neon's hand. "We'll be fine. _I'll_ be fine. Stop worrying and let's just get back inside."

Neon sighed and apologized to Dan, swimming off with Tara.

Dan watched them swim off and shuddered. _Mafia… there's no way that WAM could have ever prepared for this…_

Sure, WAM had played their harmless mafia, or F&J, game before. But what good had that taught them? It was merely an amusing pastime for breakdays and off-season… But this was real. Steaks were much higher than bragging rights.

The next person taken…would die.


	3. The Co Caper

Peach raced to the door and almost collapsed in front of it before managing to grasp the doorknob and race into the house. She locked it behind her and took a deep breath.

"Who's there?"

Peach fell back at the shock of the harsh words, but spat out a response: "Is that anyway to greet a Princess, Link?"

Link swam quickly into the front room. "My apologies your majesty," he joked. "But you really ought to knock."

"Yeah, I'll just take my fine time knocking and waiting for you to open up while the new mafia decides just how to kill me," Peach mocked. "And you really ought to lock up."

Link stiffened. "I knew I forgot something…" he said. "I guess I should…focus better."

"I heard what happened… you alright?" Peach asked, kindness returning to her voice.

"I wasn't there when it happened, Peach."

"I meant how you're feeling after seeing that…"

"Still sick to my stomach and drenched in guilt, thanks." Link said. He swam to the windows and shut each curtain before turning back to Peach. "So why did you really come here?"

"What, I can't be worried about a friend?" Peach insisted.

Link raised an eyebrow.

"Or use you as a human-fish shield?" she coughed.

"That's more like the Peach I know," Link said with a small smile.

* * *

"With all due respect, sir Franc… I believe we are going about this in all the wrong ways!"

"I know what I'm doing, Co," Franc said. "Now you should head home before it gets dark."

"We can't just sit and hide in our homes!" Co insisted.

"Nor can we go killing out of suspicion."

"We at least have to fight back! They're likely to strike tonight!"

"Co, go home." Franc sighed. He had enough on his mind right now…

Co frowned and took his leave. _Someone has to fight back…_he thought to himself. _Yet Franc won't listen…Link's just hiding out it his house like everyone else. Even Dan and CD turned down my idea._

Co kicked a rock with his tailfin and eyed his door to his house.

_Fine then._

He turned.

_If you all won't do anything, I'll just be the hero this time._

_

* * *

_

"Sir, the target wasn't where you specified."

"Figures. Then take someone else, anyone else. I really don't care."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

"Link… did you hear that?" Peach choked.

"Yeah, I did," Link replied. "Do you think it's them?"

"Who else is going to be out?"

Link was silent.

"Well…do something!" Peach cried.

Link nodded and headed quickly to his sword gallery for a weapon of some sort. But that's when he heard the noise again; they were in his sword storage.

"Stay where you are!" Link demanded, making his voice sound confident and strong: the opposite of how he felt. "You're trapped."

_CRASH._

"Shoot…" a nervous voice mumbled.

Link paused and blinked stupidly before flipping on the gallery's lights.

"Co?" he spat.

Co lied there underneath the crashed blade section of Link's swords; he didn't dare to speak in fear of a sword moving towards his chest.

Link swam over and began picking up the blades. "Why are you here?"

Co waited for Link to move the Regal Skeith Blade from on top him before saying, "Oh you know…just dropping by."

Link was not amused.

Co sighed. "Can I just borrow a sword?"

"What?" Link let out. "Why?"

"Well clearly you aren't using them for any good…" Co growled.

Peach swam in. "Why is Co here?" she said bitterly.

"Co, you can't go playing hero here," Link explained sternly. "Just stay here for the night, okay?"

"I'm not playing hero, Link! I'm being the one no one else is brave enough to be apparently!"

Peach lowered her eyebrows. "Co, stealing a sword and waiting to be killed is no hero."

"Neither is hiding out and being cowards!" With that, Co snatched the Sturdy Blue Sword hanging up next to him and made a dash for the exit.

Link raced after him, only to meet the tip of the sword facing his face.

"Step aside, Link."

"Co, being brave isn't throwing you life away!"

"I can handle myself. But by all means, you can help out."

Link growled lowly.

"I figured, so just stay in your cowardly house then." Co opened the door and swam out. Link reached for the doorknob to swim after him and smack some sense into him, but Peach stopped him.

"Let him go," she said. "You're only endangering yourself."


	4. Cotastrophe

I'm getting slightly lazy while writing this. I'm more of a fan of writing morbid death scenes, not drawn out accusation scenarios. My other stories are plenty better than this. xD

But this is still fun to write. :3

* * *

~

"Did Franc say why he needed me?" Link asked.

"No, he just asked for me to bring you," Grant explained.

"Fair enough…"

The two WAMmies made their way to the main section of WAM. They swam by the Maractite Usul from the two days before, but they said nothing and headed straight for Franc's place.

"Link, you're getting dirty looks…" Grant whispered.

Link looked up and caught the eyes of a few Maraquans staring back at him. "Did I do something?"

"Excuse me Link, is this your sword?"

Link and Grant swung around, startled to see Franc standing behind them. But what startled Link more was that Franc was holding a Sturdy Blue Sword.

Drenched in blood.

As if the two boys hadn't seen enough blood for the rest of their lives already.

"Franc! Where did you find this?" Link blurted out, averting his gaze from the sword.

"I didn't find this," Franc said blankly. "Fyora did."

Link swallowed hard. "Fy…"

"Link, follow me. You have a lot of explaining to do." Franc mumbled with a sigh.

"Yes, sir…"

* * *

Fyora stared at the pair of eyes before her, silent.

"Fy… you've got to talk…" Nikki insisted, beginning to feel uncomfortable being stared down by the shivering Fysh.

"No, I really don't, Nikki," Fy choked.

"I'm sorry you had to see…that… but, really, it's not the end of the world."

"Oh sure! _This_ isn't the end of the world, when everything else that happens to _you_ is like the freaking apocalypse of your life!" Fyora shouted as she suddenly shot up. "Co's dead, Nikki!"

Nikki's eyes widened in shock before tears flooded them. Maybe the uncomfortable gaze was better…

Fyora seemed to mentally slap herself as she raced to Nikki's side, "Oh, I'm sorry… I don't mean that… please don't cry."

Nikki forced her eyes to dry.

"I… I'm just on edge, but that's no excuse. That was mean. I'm sorry…"

"You apologize too much, Fy," Nikki said with a half smile.

"I need to relax I guess… will you stay here?" Fy asked softly.

"What kind of friend would leave you as an emotional mess?" Nikki joked in slight attempt to make up for Fy's outburst.

"Thanks…"

* * *

"But… sir, what if they check that sword for fingerprints?"

"We have _fins_, fool."

"Oh…yes of course."

"Besides… I think they've found their suspect."

* * *

"So you're serious?" Scrac asked.

"Yep, 24-hour surveillance," Link mumbled.

"But I can vouch for your alibi on the first night…"

"Doesn't matter, they'd think you were in on it, too," Link sighed. "Besides, I have nothing to hide, so whatever."

"I guess…"

"I should head back to Franc's. Explain to Peach, will you? I'm not allowed to see her."

"Sure thing."

* * *

"Yes… Co spoke to me about a Maraquan army to face the mafia as well." Sumo said.

"And now he's gone." Dan stated.

Sumo said nothing, just sighed.

"Do you think maybe the mafia was afraid of his idea?" Dan inferred.

"What? Hm, maybe," Sumo replied. "But Co was only one guy, there's no way he was a threat."

"Then maybe we should become a threat."

"What?"

"Co had a point, maybe we should fight back."

"Dan… we'll just end up like him."

"Sumo, we have to try!" Dan let out.

"…Alright."

Sumo didn't like the idea, but Dan wasn't going to let it go. It couldn't hurt, could it?

"We just have to be a good judge of character," Dan explained. "We can't let the mafia in on this."

"Of course," Sumo agreed.


	5. Killings

I'm growing bored of this story… DX

But I'm determined to finish!

It gets exciting later, I promise!

* * *

-x-x-x-

* * *

Miraculously, there was no kill that night.

No one dared question why that was.

* * *

"Alright, Dan, who is first on your recruitment list?" Sumo asked casually as they swam down the coral street. Midday in Maraqua was oddly peaceful despite the circumstances.

"CD… any objections?" Dan replied.

Sumo peered over to the houses around them. "What about Link and Grant?" Or Franc at least…"

"No, none of them should join us."

Sumo looked at Dan curiously.

"What? Don't you think Franc would be the mafia's next target? We can't but him in danger… likewise with Grant. They're too valuable to put in harms way."

Sumo sighed. "So we're an army of three?"

"I'm sure we can get equipment from Link… but quite frankly, I don't trust him. If we're lucky, maybe Jess or Neon will help us."

"…sounds good enough."

Dan knocked on the door of the large home before him. "Good."

* * *

"Fy, I swear I'm not crazy!" Nikki insisted. "I know what I saw!"

Fyora shook her head and stared at Nikki with piercing eyes. "Nikki, there's no way I'm going to believe you saw Brain outside last night."

"But I saw her. I mean it!"

"Nikki! Brain is your friend! Are you mental?" Fyora wanted to just headdesk and ignore this, but Nikki was far too persistent.

"Think about it! Brain is always poofing in and out; it's perfect!"

"Convenience is no reason for murder!" Fy shouted.

Nikki fell silent and sighed. "Okay… but _someone_ is doing the killing, and we can't just let them do that!"

"I know Nikki…I know."

* * *

"I'm not giving anyone any reason to attack me or Tara. I'm sorry, Dan,"

Neon was reluctant to pass down the offer to fight, but he knew his priorities… and if this was truly the Maraquan mafia… well what would they have against a pirate?

…besides the Maraquans in general and their past relations with the pirates… No! This was WAM, and WAM welcomed the KILLers with kindness!

Neon threw his palm against his face as he shut the door on Dan, CD, and Sumo.

"Neon?" Tara questioned, confused about his gesture.

"Tara, why did we have to name ourselves KILL…?"

* * *

Night seemed to sneak up on the fishies all too early. Everyone fled into their homes (except for the mafia of course) and hid, praying for the ability to sleep peacefully that night…

"No, I'm pretty sure going nocturnal is a great idea," Grant muttered.

"Yeah, you do that Grant. Personally, I'm going to sleep." Athena declared, raising a fin to wave before heading to another room of the building. Franc insisted on Grant switching locations enough to keep himself safe, so Grant headed to Athena's: the only home with less than three people hiding out in it.

Grant didn't like the idea of hiding much… but it was Franc orders…So Grant settled with a change of sleeping schedules and an intent stare out the small window ahead of him.

He was determined to find a clue… see a figure… anything.

Despite his heavy eye's protesting, he watched the empty street for almost two hours before beginning to drift off…

Wait.

…was that?

Yes! There was someone out there! Grant's eyes shot back open, but it was still too dark for him to distinguish anything about this suspect… Grant squinted.

A girl. Yes, no male WAMies had that long of hair… They got closer… good. Grant was determined to identify this figure.

…wait they're getting closer.

To him.

Grant panicked as the figure swam around the home towards the front door. He didn't know where any form of weapon was in Athena's place… should he wake her?

The door opened, then closed just as quickly.

Grant clenched his fist.

He had to act fast, but he found his tailfin to be reluctant to move with him. Mentally slapping himself with a fish, he dashed over to the door and into room next to it.

No one was there.

Just Athena, fast asleep.

Grant stared for a moment before clearing his eyes of sleepy debris.

_Am I going crazy…? Maybe I really ought to sleep…_

It's only a shame he hadn't seen the scene outside the window he had been staring out moments before.

Maybe a life would have been spared…


End file.
